The Story Behind the Wait for New Inventory—And What’s Next for Pandere

All Black Two Steps and Black Ballets return; new Walnut Two Steps debut this fall.

By Laura Oden | CEO/Founder Pandere Shoes

It’s been a while since I’ve sent a real update. A lot has happened behind the scenes over the past few years—more than most people realize. This fall marks the end of six years in business for Pandere (we launched in late 2018), and while in some ways it feels like we’re starting over, we’re doing it with a stronger foundation than ever.

If you’re short on time, here’s the TL;DR:

👉 presales are now live + Get 20% Off with discount code: GIMMEWALNUT

The Road We’ve Traveled

The last few years have been anything but smooth. Back in 2021, an unexpected and painful partner buyout drained our resources and kicked off a long downward spiral.

Global COVID disruptions and the shipping crisis pushed costs beyond our reach, and we ultimately lost our production slot with the factory in 2023. It took a full two years to get back into the factory.

In an effort to diversify our production for more stability, we tried manufacturing in Mexico last fall. We thought the duty free relationship with Mexico would be beneficial. Unfortunately, that experiment did not work out well—duty free benefits are gone now. We experienced significant delays, quality problems, and unexpected costs.

Meanwhile, as many uncertainties piled up, and I stayed mostly quiet publicly—not because nothing was happening, but because everything was happening everywhere all at once, and much of it was out of my control.

Rebuilding the Heart of Pandere

What most people don’t know is how important our original designer and Portugal factory owner have been to Pandere’s story. Both of them have believed deeply in the mission from the very beginning: to create beautiful, expandable shoes for people with swollen or uniquely shaped feet—improving their mobility and dignity.

Repairing the relationships in Europe wasn’t quick or easy. It took honest conversations, consistent follow-through, and patience. Eventually, we were given the chance to make our case again—and it took another ten months of waiting before we earned a slot on the production line 🙏.  That hard-won slot is what made this fall’s production possible.

Our return to production rests on more than factory timelines—it’s also the result of years of effort from people who helped build Pandere’s foundation, often behind the scenes.

✨ Our original designer returned, bringing deep technical expertise and a trusted working relationship with the factory.
✨ The factory owner brought us back onto the production line—not because it was easy, but because he still believes in what Pandere stands for.

It’s not an exaggeration to call this a small miracle. It has taken time and humility to knit everything back together, but it's happening, and I am deeply grateful.

Production Is Underway

For the first time in a long while, I can share current estimated timelines:

• 🧵 Production Timeline: October 6–10
• ✈ Shipping Estimate: Week of October 13 (keep your fingers crossed, we won't be able to confirm this until production is complete)
• 📦 Estimated Arrival: End of October (assuming air freight rates stay where they are now)

👉 Presales are officially open—order early for 20% off.

What’s Coming in This Shipment

Here’s the lineup for fall:

• 🖤 All Black Two Steps — restock
• 🥿 Black Ballets — restock
• 🤎 New Color: Two Steps — Walnut dark brown, brand new color!

Up next (late October & Spring 2026):

• Large sock bundles (all black) — restocking late October.
• XL sock bundles — production expected late fall.
• White sock bundles — our famously soft, comfy socks in white, finally coming for the holidays.
• Spring 2026: more clogs, a redesign of our original Neo among other things.

The Elephant In The Room -- Pricing

Navigating pricing this season has been a serious struggle for me personally. I know many of our customers are price-sensitive, and I deeply respect that. Pandere has always tried to keep our shoes accessible, and we’re running leaner than almost any shoe company out there.

We’re not paying anyone more. Higher prices aren’t coming from us “living larger”—they’re coming from forces outside our control.

And yes, inflation is part of the story, too. It’s pushed up the cost of materials, shipping, and almost every step of getting shoes here to the US. You feel it in daily life; we felt it too;  throughout the whole supply chain.

A few specific factors are driving costs up this season:

• 💱 The U.S. dollar has weakened against the euro, which makes European production more expensive. Simply put, 1 US Dollar buys less Euros now. (See chart below for the recent trend.)

• 🚢 Shipping costs have climbed, for both ocean and air freight. Rates are still in flux and cannot be locked in until production run is finished.
• 🧾 Tariffs have increased by 50%. We’ve always paid a 10% tariff at customs, but under the new administration, this has increased by 50%, meaning we now expect 15% tariffs on incoming shipments.

What this means: this shipment will reflect today’s realities. My commitment is to be clear about the “why,” to avoid surprises, and to balance two truths at once: keeping prices as fair as we can for you, and keeping Pandere healthy enough to continue making shoes that actually fit. 

About Last Year’s Presales…

Some of you remember last year’s presale delays all too well. We promised shoes in October and didn’t deliver until January. Some of you hung in; some understandably canceled; a few said, “I’m done.”

I haven’t forgotten any of that.

This year is different:

1. We’re back with our original, experienced factory—not a brand-new one.
2. This production run isn’t introducing new styles like last year—it’s focused on restocking popular products.
3. Last year, the production timeline kept shifting, despite all my efforts. This year things are clearer because we're back in a known factory and the factory already knows how to make these shoes.

My goal is simple: to give loyal customers first dibs (and a special discount) and clear communication, not over-promises.

Looking Forward

Six years ago, Pandere started with one idea: that people with swelling or uniquely shaped feet deserve shoes that actually fit—beautifully and comfortably.

The last few years nearly broke us. But this fall feels like a turning point. Our team is back. Production is moving. And most importantly—you’re still here.

Thank you for sticking with us through the silence and uncertainty. Truly. I can’t wait to share what’s ahead.

— Laura Oden
Founder & CEO, Pandere Shoes